Learners will design and built a prototype robot. This is lesson 14 of 16 in the MarsBots learning module. This lesson is adapted from "Edible Mars Spacecraft," by Amalia Plummer and Tricia Dieck, which was adapted from Jean Settle's "Edible...(View More) Rockets" and "Edible Space Stations" activities.(View Less)

Learners will gain an understanding of simple machines and how they may be used in our everyday lives. Students will also have an opportunity to design a Rube Goldberg Machine of their own. This is lesson 10 of 16 in the MarsBots robotics learning...(View More) module.(View Less)

This is a lesson about the Phoenix Mars Lander's science mission to use robotic technology to uncover water on Mars. Learners will be introduced to the mission and conduct some simple experiments to learn about the important properties of water and...(View More) water-ice. Advanced preparation is required of soil/water icicles (~15 min) at least one day prior to the lesson. This is lesson 12 of 16 in the MarsBots robotics learning module.(View Less)

Learners will demonstrate the size (volume) differences between Earth, Earth’s Moon, and Mars. An extension is provided to estimate the distance between the Earth and the Moon, and the Earth and Mars, using the scale of the play dough planets'...(View More) sizes. Advance preparation of the play dough (recipe provided) is required. This is lesson 3 of 16 in the MarsBots learning module. It was adapted from 3-D Model of the Earth and Moon, an activity in The Universe at Your Fingertips. Note: updated links to two resources required for this lesson are provided in the Related & Supplemental Resources (shown to the right) - Planet Comparison Website and the Survey of Mars slide show.(View Less)

This is a lesson about robotic exploration of the solar system. Learners will review what they know and what they would like to know, and then revisit their (KWL) chart throughout the MarsBots learning module. This is lesson 9 of 16 in the MarsBots...(View More) learning module.(View Less)

In this activity, students engage in an ongoing investigation to find patterns of sunlight and shadow in a classroom (or any room that gets sunlight) at different times of the day and different times of the year. Students look for repeating...(View More) patterns, keep a log to describe and sketch observations of when and where certain easily recognized patters appear and turn the room into a solar calendar that may survive into the future for other classes to use. Part 1 of this activity requires occasional note-taking and casual observation over the course of a day. Part 2 requires 30-60 minutes to create the calendar record, then casual observation and note-taking throughout the school year. The lesson plan includes a math extension activity and background information about the Sun Dagger at Chaco Canyon. This activity is the third lesson in the Ancient Eyes Look to the Skies curriculum guide.(View Less)

This is a lesson where learners explore how the creation and destruction of ozone protects us from ultraviolet radiation (UV). Learners will kinesthetically model the depletion of ozone caused by chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) molecules; use ultraviolet...(View More) beads to "discover" ultraviolet radiation, and discuss the effects of ultraviolet radiation on humans; model and create a poster of how ozone is created and destroyed and how this process helps to protect us from ultraviolet radiation; and read about the ozone layer and model the depletion of ozone due to CFC molecules. The lesson models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes, prerequisite concepts, common misconceptions, student journal and reading. This is the sixth lesson in the Astro-Venture Atmospheric Science Training Unit. The purpose of the unit is to increase students' awareness of and interest in astrobiology and the many career opportunities that utilize science, math and technology skills. The lessons are designed for educators to use in conjunction with the Astro-Venture multimedia modules.(View Less)

This is a lesson about the basic requirements for human survival. Learners will use an online, multimedia module, in which they make changes to the ecosystem and draw conclusions about the biologic conditions that are necessary for human survival....(View More) The lesson models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes, prerequisite concepts, common misconceptions, student journal and reading. This is lesson 1 in the Astro-Venture Biology Training Unit that was developed to increase students' awareness of and interest in astrobiology and related STEM careers. The lessons are designed to be used with the Astro-Venture multimedia modules.(View Less)

This activity enables students to better understand the motion of the Sun and how we use it to measure time. Students create a "horizon calendar" at their school by carefully observing and recording the horizon and the Sun at sunset (or sunrise, for...(View More) early risers) over a period of weeks or months. Part 1 of this activity can be done as a whole group and involves selecting and drawing a detailed map of the site. Part 2 of this activity can be done as a whole group and involves determining the direction west and drawing the horizon line. Part 3 should be done by the teacher since it involves making weekly observations at sunset (or sunrise), which is outside of regular school hours. Part 4 can be done with the whole class and involves using the data from the observations to calculate the average rate of change in sunset time and respond to discussion questions. The activity is not time-consuming, but must be conducted over a period of at least a few weeks. It is best as a semester unit, or even a project for the entire school year. Also, the best time of year to run this activity is around the equinoxes: March and September. The lesson plan includes discussion questions, background information about desert horizons, and a math extension activity in which students calculate how the time of sunrise or sunset changes from day to day. This activity is the sixth lesson in the Ancient Eyes Look to the Skies curriculum guide.(View Less)

This is a lesson where learners explore the benefits of an inert gas (nitrogen) to life. The lesson models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes, prerequisite concepts, common misconceptions, student journal...(View More) and reading. This is lesson 7 in the Astro-Venture Atmospheric Science Training Unit. The purpose of the unit is to increase students' awareness of and interest in astrobiology and the many career opportunities that utilize science, math and technology skills. The lessons are designed for educators to use in conjunction with the Astro-Venture multimedia modules.(View Less)